Amistad (1997) Paramount DVD Review

When you think Spielberg movies you probably think E.T., Jaws, the Indiana Jones trilogy or Jurassic Park. But let's be honest he is more than just a popcorn movie director. He has directed some very important films during his illustrious career.  We have seen Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan, Lincoln and The Color Purple.

But those are not all the important dramas that he directed. In 1997 he brought to the world a film based on a true story entitled Amistad. Now Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment have released this film on DVD.

Synopsis: A group of enslaved Africans overtake their captor's ship and attempt to return to their beloved homeland. When the ship, La Amistad, is seized, these captives are brought to the United States where they are charged with murder and await their fate in prison. An enthralling battle ensues that captures the attention of the entire nation, confronting the very foundation of the American justice system. But for the men and women on trial, it is simply a fight for the basic right of all mankind...freedom.

Now like most Hollywood films Amistad is not 100% accurate film. There is some creative license used here. But the spirit of the tale rings true, and in the end I think that is the most important part of a film. It should be noted that this film has a dark subject matter and shows graphic detail of violence and nudity. 

Steven Spielberg proves again he knows how to bring a real-life account to the big screen in epic detail. The cast is simply amazing. I love watching Morgan Freeman in anything he does, but he is great here. Anthony Hopkins is tremendous. When I think Matthew McConaughey, I usually think of his comedic performances. Now some don't like his performance here, but boy is think he is awesome in Amaistad. And let's not forget the unforgettable performance of first timer Djimon Hounsou.

Paramount has transferred this film to DVD and is presented in widescreen format. There is the option for a soundtrack in Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0. There are also English captions for the times when there are different languages spoken.

This transfer is really nice the colors are bright and vibrant, and the picture is crisp and clean. The audio is clear as a bell. There are no issues with digital artifacts. But Paramount added a couple of cool bonus features to this disc. Take a look at what has been added.

* The Making of Amistad
* Theatrical Trailer

I love that Paramount added the bonus features of the making of featurette and trailer. It takes this DVD from a nice release to a must add release! The only thing I can say against this release would be that this was produced on a Made-On-Demand disc and not a pressed disc. Pressed discs are more durable and have a longer life expectancy. But if you store your burned disc properly, they should last a very long time.

So, if you love a good historical drama as much as I do, Amistad is a must watch film. And if you are wanting it on physical media look no further than this release from Paramount Home Video. Head over to MovieZyng and order your copy today! 


Out of 4 Film Reels (4 Being the best) The DVD release of Amistad recieves.....